A surprising return
by Shawns-DancerDiva
Summary: Simon hasn't seen his best friend in years and she comes home suddenly with many problems and new found feelings for her best friend will he beable to help her out or will her prpblems drag him in...
1. Character Introduction

Character Introduction  
  
Amanda Lopez - Dark brown shoulder length hair, brown almond shaped eyes, 5'4", very spunky, not afraid to be herself, sassy, cocks attitude, feminist, very casual with dress, loves music, being with her friends and family, loves movies, attended a school in Britain, has extreme morals for herself, very sensitive, among other things.  
  
The rest of the 7th Heaven cast: Simon, Lucy, Annie, Reverend Camden, Mary, Ruthie.  
  
Amanda has been gone for a long time and when she comes back to see her old friend Simon and his family will her changes be too much for her or will it be enough to save her and give her a new love. 


	2. She returns

*chapter one*  
  
In the past..  
  
"Simon I have to leave tomorrow." Amanda said while crying.  
  
"I know." Simon said while rubbing her back.  
  
Amanda and Simon sat there together on the Camden porch until she had to go home. The next day Simon went by her house and found her to be gone already. She had left that morning. Simon slowly walked back to his house and sat on the porch and cried. Lucy who was also a good friend of Amanda gave him a letter that she has written to both of them and they read it together.  
  
It said, "Simon and Lucy I will miss you dearly but I promise to be back soon and visit you. Don't forget about me and do look after my parents and cousins. Thanks." Mandy.  
  
They laughed and cried some more then they went back inside and before Lucy had went to bed that night she stuck I the letter in a drawer promising to remember her forever.  
  
A few years later...  
  
*Knock, Knock*  
  
Ruthie ran downstairs to answer the door. She was shocked to see a girl of about 16 standing in the door way with a suitcase.  
  
"Hey, Ruthie." The girl said.  
  
Ruthie looked at her confused and called for Lucy to come downstairs.  
  
Lucy flew downstairs and said two words, "Mandy Pandy!"  
  
Amanda laughed and said, "I haven't heard that in years."  
  
They greeted each other with a hug. Scared by the squeals they heard the rest of the family came flying downstairs. Happy to see her again Annie and Eric greeted her with a hug. Lucy introduced her to Robbie and after awhile Ruthie remembered her and gave her a very large hug.  
  
Overwhelmed with happiness she asked, "Where's my buddy Simon?"  
  
Just as she said that he walked into the door confused to see everyone crowded in the hall but then he figured Mary was home so he was going to go upstairs and before he got there the girl in the middle of the pile of Camdens' said, "What Simon, are you to good to talk to me now?"  
  
Simon turned around and at the sound of the girls' voice he stopped and his draw dropped.  
  
Amanda laughed and told him, "Close that mouth Simon Camden before I close it for you!" 


	3. Signs of a problem

*Chapter 2*  
  
Simon stood there with his mouth open as Amanda approached him and held her arms open for a hug.  
  
"I missed you Simon, I really did." She spoke in his ear as she hugged him.  
  
Simon unbelieving of the situation said, "This is a dream right? I fell asleep in class and it's all a dream."  
  
Amanda shook her head at the delusional boy and knocked him flat down on his butt.  
  
"Are you dreaming now Simon?" She said with a laugh.  
  
He got up and pushed her back down and said, "Nope but I need revenge and got it for you knocking me over."  
  
They both cracked up laughing as Mrs. Camden made the news that Amanda had to stay with them until her parent's got back from moving her stuff from the boarding school across the sea in Great Britain. Everyone smiled with so much gladness in their hearts but Amanda knowing that they don't know about her dark secret smiled faintly before she turned upstairs and finished packing after the family separated of course. Simon was so glad to see his best friend again and wanted to talk to her so bad but knew she was tired and needed to be left alone.  
  
A few hours later..  
  
Simon knocked on Amanda's door telling her it was time for dinner but Mandy said she wasn't hungry and that she would eat later. Simon shrugged but left her promising himself that he would talk to her later. She came down after supper and grabbed a sandwich and a cup of soup before heading outside for a quick jog around the block a few times. She came back exhausted and fell right to sleep.  
  
*Dream sequence*  
  
"Simon help me, please!" She yelled as she fell down hill into the lake before her.  
  
Simon watched her unable to move because she had gone to far off and he couldn't find her in the brush. She was about to fall when.  
  
*BEEP* *BEEP* her alarm clock went off telling her it was time for 6:00 a.m. run.  
  
She threw on some jogging clothes grabbed a water bottle and took for a three- or four mile run around the city until she got back at about 7:15 an hour and a half before the rest of the crew wake up.  
  
Simon knocked on her door but heard her sound asleep behind the door which she clearly kept locked a lot. He was starting to get worried about her I mean no one in their right mind keeps themselves locked up in their room all the time but figured that she would be better after he got home from school. He left and stayed thinking about her all day until he got home later that day. 


	4. Busted!

"Bare naked, and I just can't take it" played in the living room when Simon got home. He didn't see any cars in the drive way so he assumed no one was home but then he went into the living room and saw Amanda dancing around in the kitchen. She was doing a routine she had learned in dance camp that she attended and was doing a very good job. She saw him enter the kitchen and smile at her. She stopped and blushed a very deep red.  
  
He laughed and said, "Dance much?"  
  
She hit him slightly in the arm and protested, "Yeah I do have a problem with it?"  
  
They then pushed each other to the floor and Simon being he lost his balance he fell on her.  
  
She started laughing than yelled, "Damnite Simon get off of me!"  
  
He reluctantly was going to obey while laughing but then he got locked into looking into her brown almond shaped eyes. She looked back at his green almost turquoise eyes that had a slight curve in the side.  
  
"Simon." She stated.  
  
"Yeah?" He asked breathlessly  
  
"You have your momma's eyes you know that. Her beautiful green eyes. They look better on you." She smiled at him.  
  
"Mandy." He smiled at her.  
  
"Yeah." She answered.  
  
"Can I."  
  
As he was leaning into kiss her Lucy, the twins, and Robbie entered the front door calling out for Simon and Mandy.  
  
"Shit!" Mandy whispered as she and Simon got up and headed to other parts of the kitchen.  
  
"Hey you guys." Lucy said smiling. 


	5. Confused

Later that afternoon.  
  
Simon, Ruthie, and Mandy went to town stopping n front of the movie theatre where they were going to meet their romantic partners.  
  
Feeling like a third wheel she didn't go in and she didn't want to be in the way, so she told Simon, "I'm going to go so that I can go get some stuff for my suitcase and put them in there so that I won't be so homesick."  
  
Simon nodded and they went inside while Mandy went for a drive until she got to an old spot where they used to hang out as kids. She sat on the swings until tears started dropping in her eyes, so she went back to the Camden household and found herself to be alone. She got an idea and headed to the kitchen until it was time to go pick them up from the movie.  
  
A few hours later.  
  
The movie had ended and it turned out that Lucy's boyfriend and Lucy were at the movie as well, so together they walked out. Simon walked out holding Cecilia's hand and when Amanda saw it she almost sped off but decided to stay being that Simon had no reason to feel guilty because he never knew about it so it wasn't his fault.  
  
Amanda smiled and took a deep breath as she greeted Lucy and her boyfriend, Ruthie, Jake which she broke up with at the movie, Simon, and Cecilia. Mandy gave the rest of the people who didn't live at the Camden house a ride home and when she dropped them off she soon took the rest of the family home coming home to a smell of freshly baked chicken, mashed potatoes, a cherry pie, and calavacitas, as Spanish traditional food Mandy loved.  
  
"Umm that smells so good. Mom must be cooking." Ruthie smelled in.  
  
Annie came from the kitchen and said, "Nope it was Mandy. And I think dinner is ready."  
  
  
  
Mandy smiled and nodded so the rest of the family went to the dinning room where everything is already all set. Lucy saw tears come to Mandy's eyes when he said he was going to Club Minor with Cecilia and when he asked Mandy she said no, but didn't respond to her. Amanda after helping to clean up and after running for awhile outside took off upstairs.  
  
Lucy followed Amanda upstairs and said, "Alright what's wrong?"  
  
Mandy shook her head and told her, "Go away! I don't want to talk." 


	6. Lost

As Amanda tried to close the door behind her Lucy wedged her foot in the door and pushed it open until Amanda gave up and slumped against the wall.  
  
"Alright, why don't you tell me what's wrong? You never act like his and you were fine until you moved back here from London?" Lucy spoke while trying to get Mandy's attention.  
  
"Just leave me alone Lucy, Please!" Amanda asked while hiding herself under her arms and in-between her legs, as she crouched them into a comfort position.  
  
Lucy grabbed Mandy's arm and tried to pull her up but just as she did that Amanda ran off down the stairs as Lucy called after her. Not caring where she was going she jumped in her car and just kept driving, until she was way out of town. Her cell phone kept ringing and ringing but she didn't pick it up she just let it ring and ring until she just shut it off.  
  
"Where the heck did she go and why did she leave?" Annie kept asking Lucy as she paced the kitchen.  
  
Ruthie responded in her wise old way, "I know why she left."  
  
Both Annie and Lucy looked at her curiously as if expecting an answer to come from her mouth.  
  
"But I can't say anything. I can say." Ruthie was cut off as Simon and Cecile walked into the kitchen.  
  
"Hey everyone, we had a great time dancing." Simon was red faced with sweat and so was Cecile but Annie knew they had just been dancing nothing else, he wasn't allowed to do anything else without telling his parents where he would be.  
  
Simon looked around the room and saw a tear faced Lucy by the refrigerator and a panic-stricken Annie by the counter.  
  
"What's going on here?" Simon asked looking confused and bewildered.  
  
"Nothing, never mind, just take Cecile home, not that we don't want you here darling but we need to take care of some family business." Annie spoke with worry evident in her voice.  
  
Cecile knew the Camdens' well enough and said, "Alright Ill see y'alls later. Simon take me home please."  
  
Simon grabbed the keys off the counter and walked outside with Cecile close on his heels worried, knowing that something was up because even though Mandy usually went to bed early she never missed a family meeting even though she hadn't seen them in ages.  
  
He quickly walked Cecilia to her door and gave her a kiss goodbye, then jumped in the car and drove home.  
  
"Okay what the heck is going on?" He jumped into the house and looked his mother straight in the eye.  
  
Lucy responded in one sentence, "Mandy is gone."  
  
"Gone, Gone, what do you mean gone?" Simon asked starting to freak out.  
  
Lucy responded, "She left Simon, right after you and Cecilia left, she was starting to cry but you were just too wrapped up in your damn relationship to notice anyone but yourself. To stuck on yourself to do anything."  
  
Lucy left the room running upstairs outside to find Kevin and hug him while she worried about her best friend. Just as she was going to run up to the apartment she ran to her room and started to dig desperately through her drawers looking for something. Ruthie chased her upstairs and watched her curiously from the door way.  
  
Lucy looked at her and just told her, "Don't just stand there look in the old drawers in your room and see if you find a blue cloud print envelope."  
  
Ruthie took off and they both looked for over two hours.  
  
Meanwhile.  
  
Amanda has stopped at a little restaurant about 2 hours out of town and was sitting in her car after she had ice cream and listening to "Cry" by Mandy Moore. She saw a theatre and noticed that playing in the box office that "A Walk To Remember," was playing. Her favorite movie because she believed it fit her life somewhat accurately. She bought a ticket and sat down in the theatre watching the movie so intently it was as if she had never seen it before.  
  
Back at the Camden house. 


	7. Flashbacks

*a/n* Sorry haven't updated in forever. I've been a little dry on ideas lately. Don't worry I'm back though. For all those who are waiting on update for my In a Heartbeat story I'm still trying to come up with something, anyone who has any ideas give me a heads up, I'm always open for suggestions. Okay enough talking I will chat with you later. Remember Review, Review, and Review*  
  
"Thank you Sergeant Michaels, Please let us know when you find her." Annie spoke into the phone as she hung up.  
  
"Well all we can do is wait, for a word?" Eric told the kids as they looked tired.  
  
"Simon, Ruthie, go to bed, you have school in the morning." Annie spoke exhaustedly.  
  
Ruthie was about to open her mouth when Annie shot her a glare and closed it immediately following Simon upstairs.  
  
As they arrived Lucy met Simon in the hallway and pulled him into her room.  
  
"Why am I here?" Simon snapped sarcastically.  
  
Lucy rolled her eyes and shoved a letter into his face saying, "Here smarty pants, read this."  
  
Simon looked at the envelope that was yellowed with age and covered in stickers and pulled it open. Inside he found a letter that was blue with red roses, and it all came back to him.  
  
*flash back*  
  
"Mom I don't want to go! I want to stay at school here!" Amanda screamed as her mom told her the bad news.  
  
"Amanda honey, we have no choice. You have a scholarship to go to one of the best schools honey. Your going I'm sorry." Her mom spoke sarcastically, snapping at her daughter.  
  
"Fine! I'll go to that stupid school but I'll hate it there I know I will!" Amanda screamed as she ran up the stairs.  
  
It was about 7:00 at night and Amanda sat out on her roof watching the moon rise over the hills. Tears were dripping down her face as she saw blonde hair and a short torso coming in from a distance. "Simon! Oh my Lordy. I completely forgot." Mandy said as she watched him approach her door.  
  
He walked silently up the stairs because he heard yelling from the other end of the block where he lived. As he knocked he felt someone staring at him and looked up to see Amanda's tear stained face hanging over the edge. He waved at her as Amanda pulled back up to the roof while the door opened.  
  
"Hello Simon. Amanda is upstairs in her room." Amanda's mom said as she looked at the small boy.  
  
"Thank you Mrs. Lopez. Can I go up to see her?" Simon asked.  
  
Mrs. Lopez nodded and Simon walked up the stairs to see Amanda. His best friend, his almost sister for what he felt to be one of the last times for awhile. He walked as if treasuring the last moment he would see her again. As he got up to her door he knocked and was surprised to find it open but a sign that said lock it behind you. Cautiously he walked into the room, smelling her rose oil scent and the moon light shining into the room. He noticed the window open and was about to go outside of it when.  
  
"Simon! Earth to Simon! YooHoo!" Lucy called as Simon was in a daze and not paying any attention.  
  
Simon snapped back to reality just as Annie called them downstairs. 


	8. Secrets

*a/n Another. annoying authors note from me! The future Mrs. Gallagher! LOL. Yeah another chapter, but review this time doggone it! Thanks*  
  
The kids went downstairs to find Annie with her eyes a little blood shot and worry stricken, telling them to sit down on the couch.  
  
All worried they sat down as Annie and Eric stayed watching them until they said, "We just got word from the police and." Annie's eyes started to well with tears and Eric put his hand around his wife.  
  
"And what?" all the children asked as they looked at their parents anxiously.  
  
"Now kids this may come as a shock to you but," Annie said with her eyes watering, "Amanda is not who we remember her to be. She is no longer the carefree girl we once always loved but she is a girl with a problem, a serious problem. She has Chronic Anorexia that often comes from stress and self-confidence issues. Her diet unknowing to us has gotten worse and her blood sugar was so low that when she was at a movie theater in a town about two hours away, she collapsed hitting the floor and becoming unconscious."  
  
All of the kids looked at their mother as if she was insane and then Ruthie asked, "You are kidding right, this has to be a joke I mean granted she exercised a lot but her anorexic, the one who would make the great food and eat it with us?"  
  
Mrs. Camden then spoke quietly, "She's had this for awhile and just recently it started up again. She is not used to so much craziness, when her life is out of control that is the only thing that can keep it in check."  
  
Lucy hung her head low and Simon jumped out of his chair and ran to his room.  
  
"Simon, Simon!" Mrs. Camden called as she saw her son run upstairs.  
  
Simon ran and ran until he got to his room and threw down a box, a very old box that was covered in stickers and a picture of a chocolate lab that was named Brownie. It was Mandy's old dog and he knew it died a few years ago a lot of people saying from old age but Simon knew it was from grief. He pulled the tape off and looked inside the lid and there it was pictures of them together from when they were younger. Playing on the porch and running after Happy. He remembered he got that dog a short time before she left. He looked through more and found a few Valentines Day cards and a letter he got from her the only letter he got from her. He opened it up remembering he never wrote her back. Never! It read:  
  
Dear Simon,  
  
I hate this school. I miss you so much. You're my best friend and all these girls that are here are really screwed up. They are so mean. They called me an American idiot. Can you believe that? They made me cry so hard I wanted to just kill them.  
  
Simon noticed at this time that there were tear stains on the paper.  
  
I guess this is as good as a time as any to tell you this. Simon I really like you. Okay your probably going all ewwwww on me but that's okay I expected it. I just wanted to tell you because I know I'm going to be stuck at this school for awhile. My mom isn't giving in believe me I've tried. LOL Anyways write back soon Simon and keep me informed on what's going on. Pwease!  
  
Always, Mandy Pandy  
  
Simon read the letter once more and then he just sat on his bed completely shocked because he remembered liking her too when they were that age but thing was did he still or was it an obligated feeling. He stayed in his room the rest of the night refusing to come out despite what his family told him while Eric went to go get Mandy transferred to the Glenoak Hospital. He fell asleep dreaming that night of something both of them woke up scared by. 


	9. Changes

*a/n* Hello everyone back with yet another chapter. I love writing this story it's so much fun because I often model Amanda after myself. Granted I don't have that awful disease Anorexia is a serious problem and though it is used to make my story more plotful, it's not a problem you need to mess with. Okay enough babbling read and review!!! Thanks! *The Future Mrs. Gallagher.*  
  
Chapter 9 What's worse.  
  
"Oh, my, god! How do I keep dreaming of that awful experience only this time it was worse. Much worse." Amanda woke up shaking her head from the vivid dream of her falling deeper and deeper into the river that lied below as Simon called out to her, desperately trying to find her.  
  
She looked around the room and found herself staring at Reverend Camden as he slept with the bible in his hands and him snoring. She giggled to herself until she realized that she was in a hospital room.  
  
"Oh no! Not again! Not another one! My damn diet why is it back, why is it?" Amanda asked herself quietly. "Because you are jealous. You know that. You want Simon and you got yourself moved to a place you longer wish to be." A voice in the back of her head told her. "Oh shut up." Amanda told herself just as the reverend woke up.  
  
"Good morning Amanda." Erik smiled at the girl sweetly.  
  
Amanda smiled at him and nodded back then asked, "Mr. Camden did you tell Annie and the kids?"  
  
The reverend nodded slowly as tears built in Amanda's once smiling eyes.  
  
"What's wrong?" he asked concerned.  
  
"No one is supposed to know Mr. Camden," Amanda spoke shakily, "I've fought this before and it just recently started up again. I can't stand my Chronic Anorexia because if it starts up again I have to go to another rehab camp which is what I really don't want to do not again."  
  
Just as Amanda finished the doctor came in saying, "Nice to see you up and around Ms. Lopez."  
  
Amanda threw on a fake smile and nodded as the doctor continued, "You are allowed to go home but you are to have someone watching you at all times. Keeping track of what you eat and whether you start exercising after every meal again."  
  
Amanda groaned and Erik shook his head as he watched the angry girl start to growl at the doctor angrily. Mrs. Romano, Amanda's set doctor had seen the young girl battle this disease once before and was sad to see her trying to fight it again. She left the room as Eric let her get dressed and the doctor talked to the worried reverend.  
  
"She needs someone to keep an eye on her because if you don't unknowing to her she'll start up her old habits again." The reverend nodded as the doctor continued, "Some warning signs are her not eating everything, or skipping a meal altogether and eating something much smaller later, then running for at least an hour or more. Also she will shut herself up in her room and stay very much alone. She gets very depressed easily and will tend to shut herself out and run from what she can."  
  
Eric having been through what he had to with her running away after Simon and the rest of the family besides Lucy who understood her, nodded as Amanda came out of the room as the doctor handed him some papers on how to deal with her "problem."  
  
They took the papers and Amanda groaned as they drove up to the drive way and Amanda thought to herself, "Oh god! What is Simon going to think and who is Eric going to stick me with to watch me?" They walked up the stairs slowly as they opened the door and the entire Camden clan sat waiting for their arrival. 


	10. Fear

*A/N Here I am again drawing inspiration from one of my favorite and recent acquired favorite Little Secrets with David Gallagher *sigh* and Tuck Everlasting with Jonathan Jackson Hottie majors. Both stories make me sad and cry unfortunately but both have really important lessons to teach. SO here we go with Chapter 10. Read, Review!!! Thanks!*  
  
As Amanda came walking into the house she felt all eyes staring at her. The deep penetrating gaze that under her parents eyes she could not escape. She felt like she was drowning, drowning deeper in that disappointing gaze that she thought she had escaped. Ready to run again Eric guided her into the living room as she would not look up, stared at the floor and sat next to Lucy who ran her arms around her friend, the friend that she felt bad for and could no longer understand. Ruthie had a look in her eyes that showed Amanda the one emotion she could not stand, disappointment. Amanda's eyes filled with tears and they dropped slowly, ever slowly down her face as if in slow motion. The first drop hit the floor as no one knew what to tell her, she just felt the stares, the ever deepening stares as she felt herself shrinking. No longer able to face the stares Amanda got up and ran to her room and just as she was almost there, Simon came out of the bathroom looking happy and refreshed. He saw Amanda coming up the stairs, her eyes seemed to fill with tears with every step she took. She saw him and though tried to run away Simon stopped her.  
  
"Hey! Hey! Hey!" Simon cried as he stepped in her path.  
  
"Simon, stop please and leave me alone!" Amanda tried calmly to speak as she stepped around him.  
  
Simon stepped in her path once more as he spoke, "No! Not again! I let you go once and I'm not doing it again. You hurt yourself and I'm sorry!"  
  
"Sorry! Sorry! For what Simon! You think this is because of you!" Amanda spoke angrily.  
  
Simon then yelled back. "I know it is because of me!"  
  
"Well sorry Simon this isn't because of. because of." Amanda stuttered as he came closer and wrapped his arms around her and she cried into his shoulder.  
  
"Because of you." Amanda finished letting each drop fall onto his shoulder as he held her close. So close smelling her very breath of sadness drip away from her being absorbed into his very being. Suddenly the memory of what has happened the rest of what happened came into his mind.  
  
*Memory finished*  
  
As the eight year old Simon stepped onto her window seal he saw her sitting there and her tears dripping freshly onto her face. Before he forgot he ran back to lock her door. He stepped outside again and saw her just staring out into the dark night as if looking for an answer. An answer he feared would never come. He moved closer to her and sat next to her as she explained everything to him and for once he felt as if he had an obligation to her. To make sure that she would never leave his side. Forever his friend, forever the one he will always take care of.  
  
He remembered sitting there holding her as she just cried until he was sure that she had cried herself to exhaustion and when she awoke he spoke words he knew now he never kept, "I'll take care of you."  
  
Amanda started to cry harder and together they sat united as if for one final moment before she was forced to leave. Forced to leave behind the one love and life she cared about so much. He remembered his parent's had called her house and they banged on her door until Simon came out and Amanda came down with him. They hugged once more as Simon said it once more, "I'll always take care of you Amanda Lopez, forever take care of you." Amanda nodded and gave him a kiss on the cheek and said, "Likewise Blondie likewise."  
  
Reality hit Simon again as he felt her move in his arms moving her head to his other shoulder. Tears welled up in Simon's eyes as he spoke into her ear, "I didn't take care of you Amanda. I didn't take care of you like I should have." Amanda started to cry again as they held each other, never letting go as Annie came up the stairs and saw her son and his best friend, the girl she knew he had been missing as a part of his life, the one missing piece fit into the puzzle once more. Her son was happy, for one time really happy, but what about Cecilia. 


	11. Past

*A/N  Sorry been so long, got an idea from the next episode. Here it is **review** if you want more. At last the long awaited, Chapter 11.*

*Chapter 11*

As Annie watched her son, happy and content with his life for once, she had to wonder what he was going to do about his current girlfriend. She carefully walked up the stairs not wanting to disturb them but as Amanda heard footsteps she stood back and wiped her tears off her face, before turning around and hugging Simon then walking to her room. As Annie stood there watching her son watch the love of his life or soon to be just walk away. She had to wonder, what was going to happen next.

Months passed as Lucy got married, Amanda not going being it was a family affair. She hid quietly in the background, almost invisible, school starting for her soon, and she so not wishing to go. She had heard of Ruthie's little boyfriend Peter and stayed quietly out of the way, while love blossomed all around her, yet her heart remained empty. Alone, and under the watchful eye Amanda's condition started again, getting worse with each passing month.

It was not until a day in church when she was sitting behind Peter and his mom's new boyfriend that her temper over ran her. 

The reverend had barely come back to the church and Amanda overheard, "First it's the dog that's gone. Then you, you hear me." The man whispered. 

Angrily she jumped out of her pew and lunged at the man pushing him to the floor. 

"Don't you ever talk to that sweet boy like that again! You hear me!" She yelled. 

All attention was thrown on her as he reached up to grab at Amanda to hit her. She was frozen in place and was for sure a fist would be making contact with her face when she was surprised to not feel anything at all. Slowly she opened her eyes to see Simon holding onto his arms and Peter, holding his mother in a hug, crying.

"What happened?" the reverend asked, looking distressed. 

"This gentleman, threatened this young boy with getting thrown out of the house." Amanda spoke on the verge of tears.

Peter's mom stood disbelievingly, while Peter ran to Amanda and hugged her.

"Thank you." He cried.

"Your welcome." she cried, "I'm going to go now." 

Amanda walked out the door, with each step tears dripping down farther into her heart.  Memories of her first step father sifted back into her mind.

_"Get her out of here!" The man yelled at her mother._

_"She's my baby I can't." Her mother yelled. _

_The man took a swing at her mom and Amanda jumped in front of the hand getting thrown to the floor. Her mom called the police and the man left the house, never to be seen again. _

"Amanda, Amanda." She heard as she was shaken awake, to find Simon standing over her.

Her vision was clear for but a moment before she blacked out again. Annie, Ruthie, Peter, and his mom were standing over the girl as they watched her fade in and out of consciousness.

"What's wrong with her?" Peter asked walking towards Amanda.

"She must've slipped back into her serious stage of Anorexia, and it hit her hard now." Annie spoke quietly.

"Mom, her pulse is weak. I can barely feel it." Lucy spoke as she cradled her best friend in her arms.

The ambulance pulled up at the church and grabbed the almost lifeless girl taking her to the hospital, while no one spoke in the gathered crowd.

*Thanks everyone. Review if you want more!*

Always,

The future Mrs. David Gallagher


End file.
